1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method of releasing an individual from the trunk of a vehicle. More particularly, an individual trapped within a vehicle truck is able to release himself or herself therefrom. Most particularly, general or specific movement of an individual within the vehicle trunk that causes repeated contact with a mat while the vehicle is stationary activates a release mechanism of the vehicle trunk and releases the trunk lid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Children and other individuals may become locked within the trunk of a vehicle. This may occur as a result of children playing within a vehicle trunk or from criminal activity, such as car-jacking or kidnaping, when a person is forced into the trunk against his or her will. This becomes an extremely dangerous situation, which may result in serious injury or death of the person trap within the trunk. Ensuring an adequate escape of the trapped individual from a locked vehicle trunk is extremely important.
Several vehicle trunk release mechanisms have been disclosed in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,559 to Davis and U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,131 to Bingle et al. disclose grippable handles within the trunk of a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,326 to Ferro et al. discloses a cable formed into a loop which may be pulled by the person in the trunk compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,479 to David, U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,292 to Penny, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,614 to Miller et al. disclose a push mechanism as part of a trunk release mechanism, such as a push button or pad, for releasing the vehicle trunk lid from inside of the trunk, Each of these devices requires a person confined within a vehicle trunk to have a working knowledge of the release device to properly activate the mechanism. Problematic with these devices is that a trapped child or confused adult within the vehicle trunk must typically locate, comprehend and physically enable the release mechanism to use it. Physical enablement of the release mechanism requires the trapped person to purposely engage the mechanism with that person""s body, such as the person""s hands. This may preclude the individual trapped within the vehicle trunk from being able to use the release mechanism.
It has been disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,614 to Miller et al. that: xe2x80x9cPrior vehicle trunk detection and release systems addressed these needs by placing pressure sensors and/or heat sensors within the trunk in an attempt to sense or detect the presence of a trapped individual within the trunk. Particularly, the pressure sensors were typically placed on and/or within the xe2x80x9cfloorxe2x80x9d of the trunk and detected the body weight of the trapped individual. Once the body weight of the individual was detected, the pressure sensors generated a warning signal to the user/operator of the vehicle notifying the user/operator of the detected presence of the trapped individual. The heat sensors were deployed throughout the trunk and detected the body heat of the trapped individual. The heat sensors similarly generated a warning signal upon detecting such body heat. While these sensors did indeed detect the presence of a trapped individual, they oftentimes provided a false warning or output signal due to the presence of relatively heavy objects (e.g. many grocery packages) within the trunk and/or due to the presence of hot food or other heated objects within the trunk and/or heat which was generated within the trunk during a hot summer day.xe2x80x9d
There is a need in the art to provide a reliable vehicle trunk release mechanism to facilitate the release of a trapped person within a vehicle trunk. The present invention addresses this need.
The present invention includes a safety release device for releasing a trunk lid from the interior of the trunk of the vehicle comprising a contact surface, preferably a mat, and an actuator connected thereto for releasing the trunk lid. The actuator initiates release of the trunk lid in response to repeated contact with the contact surface. The device is particularly useful for releasing a trunk lid of a vehicle from within the interior of the trunk while the vehicle remains stationary.
Additionally, the present invention includes a method or process for releasing the trunk lid of a vehicle comprising the steps of providing the safety release mechanism for releasing a trunk lid of a vehicle from within the interior of the trunk in combination with a vehicle motion sensor, that includes release of a locked vehicle trunk lid by placement of the contact mat within the trunk, locking the trunk lid and creating movement within the trunk while the vehicle remains stationary, wherein the actuator registers repeated contact on the contact mat created from movement within the trunk and actuates release of the trunk lid. The present invention also includes a released vehicle trunk lid product produced by this process that releases one or more persons from the vehicle trunk.